1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a washing-drying/ drying machine, and, more particularly, to a washing-drying/drying machine that is capable of condensing moisture in the air in the course of drying laundry in a tub.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, laundry drying machines are machines that dry clothes or the like (hereinafter referred to as “laundry”). Based on the function, the laundry drying machines are classified into a washing-drying machine that washes and dries the laundry and a drying machine that only dries the laundry.
FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing an example of a conventional washing-drying machine.
As shown in FIG. 1, the conventional washing-drying machine comprises: a cabinet 2; a tub 10 mounted inside the cabinet for receiving wash water; a drum 20 rotatably disposed in the tub 10 for receiving laundry m; and a motor 30 for rotating the drum 20 while supporting the drum 20.
The cabinet 2 is provided at the front surface thereof with a laundry inlet/outlet hole 3, through which the laundry m is put into or removed from the cabinet 2. At the front surface of the cabinet 2 is mounted a door for opening and closing the laundry inlet/outlet hole 3.
The door 4 comprises: a door frame 4a hingedly connected to the front surface of the cabinet 2; and a door glass 4b attached to the door frame 4a while protruding in a convex shape toward the rear of the door frame 4a. 
The tub 10 is mounted in the cabinet 2 while being suspended by springs 5 connected to the top part of the cabinet 2. Also, the tub 10 is supported by a damper 6, which is mounted at the bottom part of the cabinet 2, in a shock-absorbing fashion.
To the tub 10 is connected a water supply unit 12 for supplying wash water introduced from the outside into the tub 10. To the tub 10 is also connected a water draining unit 14 for draining wash water in the tub 10 out of the washing-drying machine.
The tub 10 is provided at the center of the front surface thereof with a tub-side opening hole 15, through which the laundry m and air is introduced into or discharged from the tub 10. To the front surface of the tub 10 is attached a gasket 16, which comes into tight contact with the door 4, when the door 4 is closed, for preventing the laundry m, the wash water, and the air from being discharged from a gap between the tub 10 and the door 4.
At the center of the front surface of the drum 20 is formed a drum-side opening hole 21, through which the laundry m and air are introduced into or discharged from the drum 20. At the circumferential surface or the rear surface of the drum 20 are formed a plurality of through-holes 22, through which wash water and air are introduced into or discharged from the drum 20.
To the inner wall of the drum 20 are attached lifters 23, by which the laundry m is lifted and then falls.
The motor 30 has a rotary shaft extending through the tub 10 such that the rotary shaft is supported by bearings in the tub 10. The front end of the rotary shaft is connected to the rear surface of the drum 20.
The washing-drying machine further comprises: a drying duct 43, having a circulating fan 41 and a heater 42, for supplying a hot wind into the drum 20; and a condenser 46 for condensing the moisture in the air in the course of drying the laundry m in the drum 20 and guiding the condensed air to the drying duct 43.
In the drying duct 43 is mounted a fan motor 44 for rotating the circulating fan 41.
The outlet end of the drying duct 43 is fixedly inserted into or fitted onto a drying duct connection member 18, which is formed at the gasket 16.
The condenser 43 comprises: a condensing duct 47 connected to the side part of the rear part of the tub 10 for allowing air discharged from the tub 10 to pass therethrough; and a cooling water supply unit 48 for supplying cooling water into the condensing duct 47 such that the air passing through the condensing duct 47 is cooled by the cooling water and thus condensed.
The lower end of the condensing duct 47 is connected to the side part of the rear part of the tub 10 at right angles, and the upper end of the condensing duct 47 is connected to the drying duct 43. The condensing duct 47 is disposed between the tub 10 and the cabinet 2 vertically or while being inclined.
The operation of the conventional washing-drying machine with the above-stated construction will be described hereinafter.
When a user puts the laundry m into the drum 20, closes the door 4, selects a washing operation, and operates the washing-drying machine, wash water is introduced into the cabinet 2 through the water supply unit 12.
The introduced wash water is supplied into the tub 10, and is then introduced into the drum 20 through the through-holes 22 of the drum 20 such that the laundry m is wetted by the wash water.
As the motor 30 is operated after the above-described water supply is completed, the drum 20 is rotated, and as a result, the laundry m is shaken in the drum 20, and pollutants are separated from the laundry m by the action of the wash water.
After the above-described washing process is completed, the contaminated wash water in the tub 10 is drained out of the washing-drying machine through the water draining unit 14.
If a rinsing operation is selected by the user, the rinsing process is performed several times for rinsing bubbles from the laundry m. The water supply unit 12 and the motor 30 are controlled in the same fashion as the washing operation such that bubbles are rinsed out of the laundry m, and the contaminated wash water containing the bubbles is drained out of the washing-drying machine through the water draining unit 14.
If a spin-drying operation is selected by the user, the motor 30 is controlled to rotate the drum 20 at high speed. As a result, the laundry m in the drum 20 is pushed against the inner wall of the drum 20, and therefore, the moisture is centrifugally separated from the laundry m.
If a drying operation is selected by the user, the drum 20 is rotated by the motor 30, the circulating fan 41 is also rotated, and the drying heater 42 is turned on. Also, the cooling water is supplied through the cooling water supply unit 48.
The cooling water supplied through the cooling water supply unit 48 falls into the condensing duct 47, and the air used to dry the laundry m in the drum 20, i.e., the low-temperature and high-humidity air, is introduced into the condensing duct 47 through the through-holes 22 of the drum 20 and the tub 10 by the rotation of the circulating fan 41. The air is condensed by the cooling water while passing through the condensing duct 47.
After passing through the condensing duct 47, the air passes through the drying duct 43. At this time, the air is heated by the heater 42, and as a result, the air is changed into a hot wind. The hot wind passes through the drying duct connection member 18 of the gasket 16, and is then discharged to the inside of the gasket 16. Thereafter, the hot wind strikes the door glass 4b of the door 4, and is blown to the drum 20. The laundry m is dried in the drum 20 by the blown hot wind, and as a result, the hot wind is changed into low-temperature and high-humidity air.
In the conventional washing-drying machine with the above-state construction, however, the capacities of the tub 10 and the drum 20 are decreased because of the condensing duct 47, or the size of the cabinet 2 is increased. Also, the flow resistance due to the condensing duct 37 is 30% to 50% of the total resistance, which is undesirable.
Furthermore, the cooling water supplied to the condensing duct 47 quickly passes through the condensing duct 47. Consequently, condensing efficiency is lowered, and a large amount of cooling water is wasted.